Table construction



Dec. 14; 1948. w. A. HILLENBRAND TABLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 12, 1945 Patented Dec. 14,

TABLE CONSTRUCTION William A. Hillenbrand, Franklin County, rmr, assignor to Hill-Rom Company, Inc., Batesville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana 7 Application This invention relates to tables and is particularly directed to an improved top structure pr ef erably for use in overbed tables of the type used in hospitals. Although this invention is directed primarily to use in overbed tables, it is not intended to limit the invention to this use.

December 12, 1945, Serial No. 634,484 1' Claim. (Cl. 311-38) from Figure .l-showing the appearance of one of the hinges when it is nested within a notch. or

The present invention constitutes an improvement of. structure of the type shown in theprevious patent to William A. Hill'enbrand, No. 2,346,- 919, issued April 18, 1944. As shown in the patent, the top structureincludes a main top element having an opening in its-central. forward part within which is fitted a movable top section.- The a movable top section hasbeen hinged to the top and has also. been pivotally mounted on the hinge so that it could be placed in any inclined position and could be reversed so .as'to dispose forwardly slot whenthe hinged section is in position flush with the top of the tables.

- Figure 4 is an enlarged'sectional view taken on I line 4-4, Figurel, showing the details'of the invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line H, Figure 4, showing the combination book rest and mirror element in position of non-use.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken online 6--8,

Figure 4, showing the hinged section inposition of use of-the-mirror with the hinges functioning to support the'same.

either a mirror element or a plain book rest as desired.

The particularv purpose of the present invention has been to improve the arrangement of the section and the hinges. The arrangement of the hinges in the past has necessitated an unsightly space between the ends of the section and the opening within which it fits. v

Therefore, it has been an object of the present inventor to provide an improved hinged connection between the movable section and the top of the table whereby the unsightly spaces between V the ends of the section and the adjacent ends of the openin in the table top are eliminated. More particularly, the purpose has been to form the hinges in an improved manner and to attach them to the top and the hinged top section in relation to clearance notches which receive the hinges and permit them to nest therein when the top section is in position flush with the top of the table, that is to say, in position of non-use.

It has been a further object ofthe present inventor to provide a novel hinge structure, par-' ticularly as to the shape of the hinges whereby they will move into neat, snug-fitting relationship between the top and the section whereby the ends of the section and the adjacent surfaces of the opening in the top are in abutment, or substantial abutment.

Other objects and certain advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent from a de-' scription of the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved table top. a

Figure 2 is a side view thereof showing the top balance of the table structure.-

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line Figure 1, detailing the pivot bracket connecting the end of a hinge to the pivotally hinged section.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8,

Figure 6, detailing one of the rear pivotal con-- nections of the hinged section to the maintop element. 1

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 9--9, Figure 6, showing one of the rear hinge connections.

The table structure will not be described except as is necessary for an understanding of the invention. For, this reason, only the top structure of the table is shown. I

Referring .to the drawings, the top is indicated I generally at IU. It is supported on an elongated tubular member II formed in the shape of an elongated loop and having its adjacent ends welded to a bracket I2 at the top of the post or upright I3. The crank I-I, illustrated, is for the purpose of raising and lowering the table top.

The main portion of the top is made in one piece which is indicated at I5. An opening N5 of rectangular form is provided in the central forward part of the table top. The movable section I! constituting a combination book rest and mirror element fits snugly within this opening. Normally,- the element II, when in position of nonuse, is disposed with its upper surface flush with the upperv surface of the top element.

A sheet metal stamping i8 is provided and is secured beneath the table top. This stamping is pan-shaped'and includes a marginal flange I9 extended around its ends and inner side. The

pan is attached in position by means of screws extended through this flange into the underside of thetopv around the margin of the opening I6.

. fragmentarily with respect to the upright and the At the front of the pan, the flange is dispensed with and the upper edge of the front side of the pan is turned to provide a stiffening lip 20. When secured in position, the forward edgeof the pan lies against the forward run of the tubular sup port element H. The ends of the pan are depressed adjacent the end flanges to provide depressions 2| for containing and supporting stops or abutment strips 22. These strips consist of elongated pieces of rubber incorporating crossnotches 2! adiacently arranged in the respective strips.

brackets, which carry the pivot or hinge pins 20,

are also countersunk so as to permit the hinge ll to lie flush with the end of the section. The pivot pin is flxedin the flange oi the bracket and has its outer end provided with a formed head 3| engaged in an enlarged end of the bore in the hinge.

The hinges 30 have their outer ends attached as described above. The rear or inner ends 01 the hinges are pivotally connected to the main top element on the underside thereof immediately adjacent and to the rear of the inner corners of the opening. Brackets 32, similar to those employed for attaching the hinges to the pivoted element are employed. The vertical flanges of these brackets 32 extend upwardly into the underside of the table top in slots 33, which slots also provide clearance for the pivoted connection of the hinges to the brackets. The rear pivot pins are indicated at 84 and their mounting and attachmentis the same as that of the pins 29.

The hinges extend through openings 35 in the metal pan at the inner margin oi its flanges. Each hinge element has an arcuate portion ll formed on a radius taken from. the center of the rear pivot (see Figure 6) so that upon movement of the hinge aboutthis pivot, the arcuate portion will traverse'the opening which need be no more than slightly greater in width than the width of the arcuate portion.

the hinges when the section is in position of nonuse (see Figure 5). These notches are of a depth equal to the thickness of the hinge material and since the hinges engage the hinged section flush with its end surfaces, the result is that the pivoted section will fit snugly in its opening it and the straight portions of the hinges will nest within the notches or slots.

The rear ends of the hinges adjacent the rear pivots are connected by a cross bar 39, whichwill cause the hinge elements to move in unison and will stiflen the hinged and pivoted mounting of the movable section".

As shown in the top plan view, Figure 1, there is no openspace or gap between the pivoted section H and the adjacent surfaces of the opening it. Further, the hinges have been designed so as to move easily with respect to the top. Particularly at those points at which they pass through the pan structure to permit the rear pivotal connection to the underside of the table top;

Having described my invention, I claim: In a table top structure, a supporting frame, a

' top element on said supporting frame, an ad- 9 justable section disposed centrally of the top a notches in the side surfaces of the opening, said hinges consisting of links having inner end portions of arcuate form disposed on the axes of the pivotal connections to the table top and straight portions extending from the arcuate portions to a the connections on the movable top section, and a bar connecting the hinges at their portions adjacent the pivotal connections to the table top, said straight portions adapted to nest in the notches when the section is within the opening.

1 .WILLIAM A. HILLEN'BRAND.

REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,932,744 Lambert Oct. 31, 1933 2,206,909 Lustig July 9, 1940 Hillenbrand Apr. 18, 1944 

